$35 million respite for mental health carers

In a boost to carers of mental health sufferers, Minister for Community Services Senator Nigel Scullion today announced more than $35 million in funding to build and expand respite services for people with severe mental illness/psychiatric disability, people with intellectual disability and their carers.

Making the announcement during Mental Health Week, Senator Scullion said the funding will allow 52 organisations across Australia to provide a range of flexible respite options which include creating new respite centres, expanding existing centres, training and paying respite workers and funding 24 hour flexible in home assistance.

‘Every carer faces a different set of circumstances and we recognise that not all carers are seeking the same sort of support. Some may need time away from the person they care for or some may need extra in-home help for a period.

‘The challenge with caring for a mental health sufferer can be the episodic nature of the illness. Carers often can’t plan scheduled respite or won’t be able to predict when they will need extra help.

‘This funding injects extra resources into the non-government sector to help support carers, when and how they need it.

‘The Australian Government recognises the important and valuable role of family members or friends who care for dependent people at home and flexible respite options are not a privilege – they’re a necessity.

The successful organisations will be funded under the National Respite Development Fund component of the Mental Health Respite Program.

‘The Mental Health Respite Program has two components – brokerage funding to buy respite for carers and today’s announcement which addresses the actual supply of respite – the bricks and mortar and the human resources.

‘This component of the program will provide the Australian Government with the flexibility to respond to respite supply issues that cannot be managed at the state/territory or regional level and to develop the capacity of the sector.

‘Existing mental health service providers who did not apply in the competitive process may be directly approached to fill identified areas of need,’ Senator Scullion said.